In operations, being a part time sup really depends on a few factors. 1) the combativeness of your employees and area 2) the temperament of your FT sup and Sort manager. 3) Your own personality, discipline and the ability to humble yourself among other things.
It starts to suck when your FT sup give you goals that aren't realistic, then tries to either jive talk or scream at your when you can’t achieve it. Of course the FT sups get it from their managers, and their division managers etc as crap rolls downhill. The same thing with micromanagement, FT Sups will micromanage the **** outta of you, they will tell you **** you already know, they will come to your area and do things you were about to do(then pat themselves on the back, when in reality it wouldnt have made a diff) and their managers do it to them to a lesser degree. FTs sups will often tell you phrases like "let’s go, get it done, accountability, why are we off, what happen, intensity, we gotta make it happen etc" and other codes words which basically boil down to get personally involved and doing bargaining unit work w/o getting caught by certain ppl.
FT sups are politicians and will play multiple sides to appease a Steward/Business agent or an employee, or the pt sup or the manager. Some days it would seem like they are on the employees’ side or on your side, but they are really on their own side. The pay is good, benefits excellent, but they will cut your hours, just like an hourly if it’s a "hot topic" in their meetings. Ft sups will use you as a buffer with employee if they feel like they don’t wanna deal with confrontational employees or the cruelty barely giving hours to an excellent emply. FTs will lie and say you can change the unproductive work habits of a 17 year Full timer who could care less about your feedback or nonsense UPS paperwork.
Employees are basically divided into 1) pro union and productive, 2)pro union and nonproductive(lazy), 3)pro union and hostile/counterproductive(grieve u, sabotage your area, create work for themselves, take long restroom breaks and anything to extend their time on the clock) 4)pro union if you friend--k with me otherwise i dont care,5) union but i don't care if you work just give me "the minimum", 6) union and always wants to go home early,7) special needs, 8) convicted felons, 9) employees on drug or alcohol influence at work 10)employees whom should have retired and milking the shh—t out UPS, 11)employees that are extremely productive, friendly and will never get written up as management would “look the other way” and 12) new guys who haven't a clue that your not suppose to "help" them….. a diverse bunch….. and the management team isn’t any better.
You’re not really a supervisor as oppose to an intermediary baby sitter as the FT sup can’t be everywhere at once. And IF it wasn’t for the hostile employees you wouldn’t have a Job. Yes, you will be blamed for things not under your control. Yes, you are overpaid pt employee. Yes you are a glorified jam breaker, flow pusher, substitute union employee. Yes, you better not injure yourself. Yes, you better report if an employee even has a paper cut. Yes, Fulltimers will see u as irrelevant but will do what u say anyway. Yes you will do meaningless paper work that the Ft sup doesn’t even look at unless they can’t make a number…. Yes it’s an adrenaline rush and can be one of the most rewarding jobs you will ever have.
Go for it, but I suggest you look deep into yourself and in your building